thee still But oh so love thee Love thy bright Glory thy unenvyed Happiness Thy Monarchs Arms and all thy Nuptiall Blisses My whole unmurmuring Souls divinest Musick Enter Messenger Mess Sir some Officers wait your Command Enter Officers Tygr. Admit e'm Well my Warriours How fare my valiant Hearts Offi. Tough as our Arms And cheerfull as our Cause Tygr. Thou speakst my Souldier 1. Offi. As all our Veins and all our Lives shall speak 2. Offi. Already Sir Your great Allies have joyn'd us A noble Train of War From Western Nile To Eastern Indus Streams united Asia Brings her proud Banners to your Royall Standard By this good Sword and this old Arm I think More gallant Troops nor more resolv'd Battalions A fairer Front of the bold Sons of Glory Ne'er shook the Earth beneath them 1. Offi. And great Sir May I presume to add one bold Word more To cheer our Hearts after our last lost Battle And edg our Swords for a new fairer Game Persia fought then but Clarismunda now Tygr. Yes my kind Souldier in your last lost Game A weaker Quarrell and a fainter Arm Only Powers wanton Luxury Ambition Fought then But a Diviner Cause wrong'd Honour And Sacred Vengeance now Enter King and Herminia Mirvan Amorin Guards c. King My best Tygranes Life of my Cause thou Eldest Son of War And boldest Heir of Fame my waiting Armyes Call thy Commanding Arm to lead 'em forth to Glory Tygr. As far as humane Strength can push for Glory This Arm shall lead and Sir to joyn that Arm I hope the Great Deciding Powers that hold The Fate of War and turn the Scales of Battle Have one kind Lawrell for the poor Tygranes For 't is but Justice Heav'n one Smiling Day For all the melancholly niggard Portion Your unkind Stars have dealt me And for all The Massy Favours you have heap'd upon me Great Sir permit my bending Duty fall Thus low to take up the fair Load of Honour King Rise my Tygranes This too humble Gratitude Orepays the Gift I make Tygr. Orepays No! Sir You 've lodg'd in this Young Arm a Trust so glorious King And thou'lt discharge it with a Faith more glorious Tygr. I hope indeed I shall This I dare promise I go so keâ—n for War so arm'd for Battle My Cause so Precious and my Life so worthless That the Great Game of Death was never play'd By a less shaking Hand King So speak the Souls Of our Great Race the transmigrating Fires That warm thy noble Breast Tygr. But Sir before I go take my Last Prayer May all the Sweets of ever fragrant Love Heap your full Joâ—s 'Twixt that fair Heaven and You Eternall Jo Peans sing before you Smiles wake Your Morns and Angells lull your Sleeps King This is too kind Tygranes Tygr. And when in my Rough Toyls and heavyer Marches Amidst the Shriller Louder Voice of War Some softer Trump of Fame shall sweetly Chant In my pleass'd Ears how fair Herminia loves How that all Nuptiall Truth all Bridall Sweetness With all the Riot o unmeasur'd blisses Crowns the dear Love of her embracing Lord When I shall hear that dear that blessed Sound With open Arms I 'le meet the darling Joy And clasp it as the Mrs. of my Soul Thus I may love Herminia Herm. Love me Prince Yes such a Love Tygranes Oh thou matchless Originall of Virtue Love like Thine How shall I e're return Go then brave Warriour Go where bright Honour calls and when thy Sword Thro grappling Dangers hews thy path to Glory Be thou Herminia's Champion and I Thine For oh Tygranes to adorn that brow And pull down Victory on that blest Head I 'le borrow from the Arms of my kind Lord A bending Knee to Heâ—v'n for dear Tygranes Tygr. And will the kind Herminia do all this For lost Tygranes the Divine Herminia A Beauteous Suppliant to th' immortall Throne Breath a soft Prayer and melt the listning Gods And all for worthless me Then I am orepay'd For all my bleeding sighs So blest Herm. So blest if she can give thee blessings all my Orisons My tendrest Vows for Thy Success I 'le pay With so much Zeal the pious offering giv'n Whilst thou shalt combat Earth I 'le wrestle Heav'n King Hold my Herminia thou too Godlike Goodness And take me with thee in this generous Contest A Prayer for dear Tygranes Prayers and Hecatombs Incense and Sacrifice all Pomp Divine Altars shall smoak and blazing Temples Shine United Heaven and Earth shall joyn for Thee Thou and the World brave Youth the Gods and we Enter Messenger Mess Your Royall Sister Conducted by ten-thousand Scythian Horse Sent by the Mercy of her pitying Conquerour Free and unransom'd is returning home King Free and unransom'd Yes relenting Tyrant Like flowry Garlands to a bleeding Victim A poor amends for Clarismunda's Wrongs Tygr. For the Reception of our Royall Sister Haste Orimon draw forth a thousand Horse That these embracing Arms may fly to meet her Exit King My dear Herminia the soft sweets of Love Till this blest Minute have been all my Theme But now my fairest I am forc'd to borrow From the kind Arms of Joy one hour for pity I have a mourning Sister A wrong'd one my Herminia whose Returne Must call one Tear even from the Eyes of Love Queen A Tear for Clarismunda Yes my dear Lov'd Lord if that wrong'd Sister does demand The Royall Tribute of those richer Pearle I hope you 'll give these Eyes the Leave to add Their pious Offring too King Thine my Herminia Queen Mine and all Eyes At bleeding Virtues Sufferings Our Griefs are but our Sympathetick pains Each melting Eye at that sad Object mourns The Loadstar draws and trembling Pity turns Enter Tygranes Leading Clarismunda Celestina Rosalin c. Clars My Brother and my King Take to thy Arms thy generous pitying Arms This Load of Misery Despair and Ruin King Fair Flower of Paradice the sweetest Rose Set in the Thorns of Life dear Royall Mourner My Souls best half my own immortall Veins Clar. Thy Veins No Sir that once fair Christall Fountain By the embitter'd Gall of Woes all poyson'd The King gazes on Celestina My blood runs Death and I am thy Veins no more King What do I see Great Gods Clar. But oh dread Sir In my affrighting Wounds my Savage Wrongs I have brought home King Those Eyes my Clarismunda Clar. Eyes Sir King Those Wrongs my Sister But proceed Clar. Those Wrongs indeed So wrong'd There 's not that ministring Saint at Heavens high Throne But midst his Scenes of everlasting Joys Looks down on Clarismunda's hideous Ruines Mine mine 's a Cause King By Heavens amazing Fair Clar. What says my King King Thy Cause my Sweet go on Clar. Yes my dear Brother and what 's more then Brother My Champion and my King By those great Names I call and challenge thy avenging Sword Thy Sword my Soverain Justice King Artaban withdrawing from Clarismunda and whispering Clarismunda strikes
Despair e're swallowd Herm. Oh generous Prince if all my blushing shame My aking heart and bleeding Soul for Thy Poor suff'ring pains can be prevailing Orators Recall thy banisht Peace Tygr. My Peace Herm. Thy Peace Let my imploring Pity beg it of thee Be thy great self and let surmounting Reason Put out this hopeless Fire Droop not but wait A fairer Fate The Guardian Gods of Virtue Bid thee look up and hope those great Rewarders Of ever cherisht Honour have no doubt Reserv'd some worthyer Beauty for thy Arms. Tygr. A second Wound where those bright Eyes have kill'd No fair Destroyer do not flatter Death Herm. Cruell Tygranes cease this fatal Language I sicken at the sound Commanding Honour Has seald my Ears and I dare hear no more Tygr. Commanding Honour then shall be obey'd And you shall hear no more Yes fair Commissioner of Fate thou dear All Angel Forme I will repine no more Since I was born to wear thee to my Grave I but perform the Work of my Creation And 't is my Glory to fulfill my Destiny Trumpets But hark the King Now Madam Love and Empire Come suppliant to your Feet Cyrus proud Heir And fair Herminia's prouder slave comes blest With all the Joys of a possessing Lover To circle that fair Brow with Persia's Diadem Enter King attended King Welcome fair Star descending Brightness welcome But oh Thus kneeling let me meet the mighty Bliss Kneel Is that all For every common Blessing We pay that Gratitude But when Heav'n gives Heav'n The blest Receiver with his bending Homage And prostrate Soul makes but too poor Acknowledgment Tygr. Oh King we Two divide the Stars thine All aside The smiling all the blasting Planets mine King But whilst my Ravisht Soul at these dear feet All buisy in the Count of thousand Vows My Souls long hoarded sum to Soverain Love Their mighty Tribute pay endebted Honor Demands some payment too My dear Tygranes Thou Champion of my Love thou ushering Phosphor To all my rising Bliss my more then Brother Friend All oh let these gratefull Arms receive thee Embraces But ha what do I see methinks I view A Cloud hang on thy Brow Tygr. A Cloud my King Would be a Blessing here Indeed I want one For I have stood too near too near that Sun From the bright Beams of whose too fatal Fires Oh for a Cloud dark as my Grave to shrowd me King How my Tygranes Have Herminia's Eyes Brought me a Rivall home Tygr. A Rivall No. Rivall's a Title for Aspiring Gazers Beauties bolder Homagers Where kindled Hope and warm Ambition burn A Name too towring for the lost Tygranes King In this surprizing Language Tygr. I have profan'd Your Royall Ear but the offending Criminall Pardon his First Last Fault shall Sin no more Here take this dazling Beauty to your Arms Take her adorn'd with all Loves thousand Charms Myriads of Blisses star your happy Nights Thick as the Galaxy and Angel Quires Salute your smiling Days Herm. Virtue like Thine aside Tygr. And now if my small Services deserve it And this young Arm may be that bold Petitioner Grant me the Glory in your Royall Cause Against your Honours and your Kingdoms Foes To wield a Sword Yes send me to the Wars The walks of Death and Scenes of Desolation Far far from Courts that I may live remov'd From those destroying Eyes For oh my King I would not stay within that dangerous Air Where the least Rebell Murmur may but rise To envy your fair Bliss King I am all Confusion Tygr. So dear so sacred your Divine Felicity I wou'd not blot my Soul but with a Thought My King can be too blest Herm. Oh Prince Thy generous Goodness loads me with that shame As fires my glowing Cheeks But if thy heart Thy poor lost Heart has play'd th' unhappy Fugitive Into that barren Starving Feild of Love By all my Hopes I 'le drop a tear to Heav'n To call the wanderer home Tygr. A Tear Herm. A Tear Tygranes Shed from that melting pity till the Gods Soften'd to Mercy a kind Ear encline And grant thee peace or else deny me mine King Thou Miracle of Truth and Life of Honour There 's something in this moving Tale of pity Breaths with so sweet an Accent that if ought Less then resigning the Divine Herminia Cou'd bless thy soft Desires my bounding Soul Shou'd leap all Bars to crown thy tenderest Wishes Tygr. This is too kind King But since a Sword a Sword Is all the Boon thy modest Prayers can ask And Love can give no more Thou shalt have thy Desire Yes my Tygranes I have a Cause that wants an Arm like Thine For in thy Absence I have lost a Battle Persia's proud Foe th' insulting Scythian Tyrant Wears my lost Honour on his conquering Sword Nor is this all I have lost a Sister too Tygr. And with that Sister Sir the noblest Martyr Tyrannick Sword e're butcher'd poor Orsanes That Royall Syrian our unhappy Friend By Wars rough chance the barbarous Scythian's Prisoner By his inhumane Rivall Jaylors Rage In his cold bloud sent t' his untimely Grave My Dear wrong'd Sister thou too wretched Mourner The Lord of all thy Vows that bloudy sacrifice So loud thy Ruines and so deep thy Wounds That bleeding Persia groans for thy Revenge Thine Thine's a Cause King Reserv'd for brave Tygranes For Thee young Worthy thy Illustrious Arme Shâ—ll lead my fighting Legions to the Field Wash thou the Persian Stains and Scourge that Tyrant Whilst Clarismunda's Wrongs edge thy keen steel With mine and Heav'ns Commission'd Vengeance strike Tygr. Ye Gods I ask no more King Yes go my Souldier Go where Fame calls But thus far far from Courts Whilst to rough Wars a Rivall I remove Think how I send thee to a Lawrell Grove To plume in Honour whilst I blush in Love Exeunt SCENE changes to a Pavilion Enter Briomer meeting Celestina and Rosalin Briom Good morrow my Sweet enemy the Smiles Of a kind Morn gay as your Eyes Salute You. I come my pretty one t' inquire the Health Of that bright Excellence the fair Clarismunda Say is your Princess waking Celest Is she sleeping Had been a properer Question to her Miseries Briom Then Madam in my Royall Masters name Sycthia's proud Monarch but her humblest Suppliant Celest Her Tyrant thou woud'st say be honest fawning Parasite And give thy proud Barbarian Lord his Titles Briom Her Tyrant then if that hard Name befits Her humble Kneeling Slave Celest Hard name Can there Be names too hard for brave Orsanes Murderer What though that Royall Beauty and her dear Illustrious Lover by th' unhappy Fortune Of a lost Battle wore the Tyrants Chains Could his too Barbarous Rage descend to that Low-Spirited Murder to remove a Rivall By such a shamefull Blow unparalled Infamy Brim 'T is true I own wild Rage and wilder Love Have play'd the Savage But t' atone his Crime Has not the sense of his Detested shame Touch'd his Relenting
thy Clouds bear thy fair Head above The frowning World and mount a smiling Star In all thy Loads too low disdain to stoop 'T is brave to suffer when 't is poor to droop Queen Herm. Oh Prince thou hast read me so Divine a Lesson And painted Ruine in a Face so lovely That thou hast tuned my Soul to all the Musick Of a whole Quire of Angels Yes Tygranes To my too cruel Lord I will return Return to all the Pangs to all the Miseries Of ever mourning Love Life 's bitter Draught Lift to my Lips with that unshaking Hand For oh thou hast taught me to be greatly wretched To be Divinely Blest Tygr. Do this Herminia Queen No more my wandring Pilgrimage no Prince I 'll build my House of Sorrow in a Palace Under my Roof of Gold a Hermit dwell A Court my Cloyster and a Throne my Cell Exeunt all but Mirv. Mirv. So now the Toil is set and dear Destruction Comes rolling on apace What a vast Pile Of Ruine shall I build 'T is hard Herminia And I could pity thee Why should I pity My bloody Cradle and my barbarous Parents And shall I feel remorse when ev'n my Father To his own Blood ne'r felt it No vain pity Seek softer Breasts mine has no room to lodge thee Besides I move by that commanding Influence I know not Celestina by what Charm But thou hast bound my Soul and Nerv'd my Arm Joyn'd in thy Cause we that bright Comet Reign Thou the Fair Star and I the Blazing Train Exit ACT V. Enter Celestina Mirvan and Rosalin Cel. REturning home Victorious Mir. If to leave A hundred thousand Foes in Battle slain If Conquer'd Scythia and the great Orontes Led home in Persian Chains can write Victorious Tygranes wears that Title Cel. And to grace His Victory he brings the beauteous Fugitive A fair Attendant t' his Triumphant Chariot To court the Kind forgiving King's Reception Of the returning Wanderer Mir. If her Religious Ramble as I 've manag'd it Has not a little pav'd her Path too rough Some such good natur'd Office he intends her Cel. And thou my little Harbinger kindly com'st Before 'em to prepare me for their Welcome Mir. Yes Madam That 's my Errand For to give My self and dear sweet Villany their due Mischief and I have both rid Post to serve you Cel. My dearest little Devil how I love thee But Mirvan after this first lucky hit Darest thou be generous and play out thy Game Mir. Dare Can you doubt my Courage or my Constancy Is glorious Treason a design too great Or this Young Arm too dastard Have I launch'd Thus far and stood thus firm to stagger now By my fair Truth this poor Suspicion wrongs me Cel. It does indeed sweet Youth forgive my Fears I know thy honest Truth too well to trust it aside But my kind Boy I am afraid I have kept thee Awake too long I know this Nights hard Travel Has tired thy tender Limbs and thou want'st Rest To Bed my Boy and when thou hast repos'd awhile I 'll send my pretty Engineer and call thee Retire sweet Boy and Sleep Exit Mirvan Thy last young Fool. Thy Bed thy Grave Yes my kind honest Traytor Thy hand has done me too much faithful Service To leave thee a dangerous Tongue alive to spoil it Besides my little Tool my ripining Plot Has business for thy Death And bet thy Glory As thou hast liv'd so thou shalt serve me Dead And therefore sleep thy last Now my designs Are all in my own Breast Treason 's a Jewel When the rich Cabinet has but one Key They 're only truly Great who are safely so Ros Well Madam Your Propheticks are all Oracles And the mad roving Queens amazing Ramble Has fill'd the World with wonder Cel. Fame indeed Talks something loud Ros 'T is true the Prince has sent a soft Express And smoothly laid it all upon Religion Cel Religion in a Camp Ah Girl if the Soft King has easie Faith enough about him To think no warmer a Devotion hatch'd This gentle Pilgrimage than Zeal and Prayer-Books No Rosalin he 's not that blind believer I fear thou 'lt find that rougher Faith about him A gathering that black Storm as will rain Blood Ros Herminia's Blood and Celestina's Glory Her Scaffold and your Coronation Cel. Right That fullen Hour that wraps her head in Dust Wreaths mine in Diadems Herminia's Grave The Basis of my Pyramide 'T is true It is a little hard thou poor Herminia To cut so keen as I must But Ambition Ambition gives the blow and when that strikes Remorse nor Pity no faint check controuls That two-edg'd Fate tho' bar'd with Lives and Souls Exeunt Enter Tygranes Herminia and Orontes Prisoner Guards and Attendants 1 Atten. A nobler Game of Glory ne'er was play'd Fortune set high a Kingdom on a Battle And one bold Throw has swept the mighty stake 2 Atten. By this dear Light that Sun that smil'd to see The richest Crimson that the Earth e'er dy'd Not the proud Jove from the defeated Gyants Return'd with fairer Laurels than Tygranes Tygr. Enough my generous sharers of my Fame Your lavish Goodness plays too much the Prodigal My Victory dares not challenge half this Triumph 'T is true the Fortunate Tygranes fought But 't was the Justice of his Quarrel Conquer'd Courage is only ours Success is Heav'ns And for thy Fate Orontes Oront Mine Tygranes Is to curse Life and Thee my Life alone Too much to bear but Life and Shame together That double load of Misery Oh Prince When thy keen Sword cut through my Conquer'd Kingdom Had it been kind and carv'd my Heart too dying I could have loved thee but must hate thee Living Tygr. If thou repinest at thy ill Chance of War Blame thy bad Cause If overtaking Destiny Has dealt thee that hard Lot that does not please thee Remember King thy Ruine is no more Than thy Desert thy Punishment Orontes And sufferers are not choosers of their pain But to perform my last just Rites of Victory Thou Orimon go Visit our wrong'd Sister And in a Brothers Name bear her that Trophy A present from her own Triumphant Vengeance Oront To Clarismunda My too generous Conqueror This is so kind I 'll thank thee for this Goodness Even in my Grave For Oh! a Grace so high Thou givest me leave at those dear Feet to die Exit Guarded Tygr. But hark the King approaches My Beauteous Charge I am thy Champion now A prouder Cause than all my Scythian Conquests Enter King attended My Royal Lord low at your Sacred Feet With the fair Harvest of your own rich Field Thus prostrate kneels the proudest of your Vassals By your great Cause that fair inspiring Genius Led forth to Victory King Mine Tygranes my Inspiring Genius No a little sure Of that fair Cause that soft Inspirer Tygr. How my dread Liege King That Beauty those fair Eyes They were so kind to See you Conquer Tygr.
I have out-liv'd her Fall 'T is onely to outact her Vengeance She Poor Martyr dyed too soon Her closing Eyes Shut out that charming scene the rowzing Thunder Hung o're her punisht Ravishers head she dyed Before her dear Revenge But I would live For mine if thou darst let me live live Tyrant To wake the arming World for thy Destruction Oront Oh hold my fair Accuser think oh think When my mad Rage and all my brutall Fires Walk'd forth with that too hideous Arme of Death T was onely Love that struck the barbarous Blow Claris. Love Oront All commanding all resistless Love Alas I saw the cruell Clarismunda Deaf to my sighs and pray'rs my happy Rivall With all the Pride of an insulting Conquerour Even in his Chains my Tyrant the blest Lord Of Clarismunda's Heart Think how I saw The flaming Sword and my seal'd Gates of Paradice And if my burning Love and boyling Envy Swell'd my Despair too high impute th' Effects To a too powerfull Cause Alas I cut Th' excluding Barr betwixt my Heav'n and Me. Claris. Yet hold This Insolence outsins thy first black Guilt What tho th' Injustice of our partiall Destiny Threw the unhappy Champion of our Cause By Warrs rough Chance a Captive in thy Pow'r Dares thy Barbarity make Love great Love A Plea for Murther Could that noble Passion Transforme thee to a Ruffian Had'st thou been That Godlike thing a Lover thou d'st have seen Thy happy Rivall with more generous Envy And in thy glorious Indignation free'd him From his vile Chains bid him dispute his Title To Clarismunda's Heart with his drawn sword Had he so faln and his triumphant Conquerour Staind with his warm warm Blood thus hadst thou woed me But in cold Murder his poor naked Throat Given up to Butchers Hands thy Slaves and Hangmen Shame of a Throne thou eternall Brand of Empire Oront And is this all my Love must ever hope Claris. Hope wretched King why does thy tiresome Folly Force my repeated Scorne both of thy Crown and Thee Thus often to pronounce the fatall never Oront Never Claris. Shoud this degenerate Breast descend so low Buâ— to Dream Kindness to Orsanes Murderer I 'de tear my Traytour Heart up by the Roots But for so poor a Thought Love thee Yes King If to owe thee Curses more then Plagues can pay thee Thy dying Groans more Musick to my soul Then all the Quires of Heaven be Love I love thee Oront Well Madam you have sworn my seal'd Destruction And rather then a Doom from that fair Mouth Should want the Weight of Fate with my own Hand I 'le ayd my Labouring Destiny Go Briomar Draw out ten Thousand Horse and in their Head Bear that relentlâ—ss Beauty back to Persia A Presentt ' her avenging Brothers Arms. Claris. Ay King do This Oront Yes go dear charming Death Bring the whole summond Force of Heav'n and Earth To hunt down this Babarian Too cruell Vengeance at Thy Tyrant call All thy arm'd shafts on this doom'd Head must fall And Humble kneeling Love shall bear e'm all But dear remorsless Fair if all the pangs Of my poor bleeding Heart Claris. All the old Hatefull Theme No more no more Remember King I have Your sacred Promise To send me back to my avenging Brothers Oront True I have promised and the dread Command Of Clarismunda though at no less price Then my Souls Death shall be obey'd Go Briomar Performe your Charge conduct that fair Inexorable T' her Royall Brothers Arms But tell those Brothers Yes lay my blushes and my shame before e'm And tell the injur'd Majesty of Persia My soul unman'd and all my Reason drownd I did that shamefull Deed. But tell e'm too The Brute offended but the King repents Tell e'm instead of all their Arm'd Revenge Death Fire and Sword sack Towns and burning Citys Kind Hymens Torch presents a gentler Fire Claris. No more vain talking Frenzy Oront Yes beauteous Cruelty Tell e'm that Mighty Love Claris. That Mightier Vengeance Oront With all the Eloquence of immortall Truth Claris. With all the Horrours of Eternall shame Oront For Mercy Mercy call Claris. For Blood for Blood Oront For Blood than since no less then Blood must pay Go Briomar that Voice of Death obey Arme Arme the World against this hated Head And forge the Bolts to strike this Monster dead Go Fairy Treasure Vanishing Brightness go But Clarismunda If Thou must kill why the poor Persian swords Why arming Worlds and angry Heav'n against me No fairer Deity weil'd thy own bright Vengeance Thy Eyes the Gods Expence of Thunder save And lend me from their Darts a nobler Grave Exuent all but Celestina and Rosalin Celest Now Rosalin what thinkst thou of my Sybill My Scythian Prophetess Rosal Think Celest Dost not see We are moving to a fairer Feild of Fortune The Court of Persia Beauties bright Meridian How looks her kind prediction now Do's not My Royall Conquest wear a promising Face Rosal Fantom and Phrenzy Celest Spight and Envy No Thou snarling Infidell th' Oraculous Truth Had Heav'n in 't and I must and will beleive her Rosal Well if your Faith 's so strong beleive and prosper Celest Yes Rosalin and to confirme that Faith Sleeping this night I saw the sweetest Vision Methoughts a glittring Troop danced all around me Clapt their gay Wings and in one ecchoing Voice Stupendious Words that lightend as they spoke Saluted me with Hayle thou Beauteous Miracle Go on thou Royall Conquerour so conquer Till Poets make thee their Eternall Song And wanton Painters like the bold Prometheus When they 'd give Souls to shadows from thy Heav'ns Shall Steal th' immortall Fires Ros. By Love all Rapture Cel. No sooner was the gaudy Vision vanish't But straight I dreamt of that fair Grecian Dame That drew the Swords of the Contending Universe The glorious subject of a ten years War And the no less immortall Cleopatra Her bleeding Antony and persuing Caesar With burning Troys and Worlds for Beauty lost Ros Well Celestina if no less Originals Then Egypts Cleopatra or Greek Helens Are those fair Eyes your golden Dreams must copy In that blest day expect my duteous Homage Amongst your kneeling slaves Cel. Yes that blest Day Now to the Court that Lottery of Beauty Where all the Fair for the great Prize put in And boldly stake their All to lose or win And whilst one Hand at an unhappy Fling Draws but a Blank the other draws her King With the same Hope for the same Lot Iâ—le go And try if there 's a Monarch for my Throw Exeunt Scene changes to a Pallace Enter Tygranes Tygr. What art thou Love that thus out liv'st Despair Oh thou whose too strong vital Pulses beat When hope thy Life is dead Too fair Herminia Tho' lost for ever lost thy haunting Form Array'd with all thy Charms glides dazling by Whilst my devouring Soul leaps forth to meet thee And grasps at fleeting Ayr. Too dear Herminia Yes I will love
sacred Briom Can there be a Cause so sacred To draw you forth from your abandon'd Kingdoms And in this poor Disguise to quit your Throne Briomar Oront Quit Thrones quit Worlds quit Earth and Heav'n my Run mad despair and dye Briom Dye Sir Oront Yes dye To Deaths short pain from lingring Tortures fly Plunge the Vast Deep and launch to that blest shore Where Clarismunda's Scorn can kill no more Briom Death I confess is Woes last certain Remedy But when the Great seek Death they ought to meet him In the fair Paths of Glory Poorly dying Is worse then basely Living Sir consider You 're born to Empire hold the Charge of Kingdoms A Royall Cause and a protected people Besides behold a gathering Storm before you Arms at your Gates and Vengeance round your Walls Advanceing Enemies and pushing Fate That Death thou seek'st seek nobly King Crown'd Heads Should not fall crusht like poor despairing slaves But build their Monuments when they digg their Graves Oront Kind Briomar I thank thy honest Love 'T is true the Charge of Empire lyes upon us Yet Heav'ns Vicegerents are not so all Gods But we have a little of the Man about us Shackled with Soveraignty and tyed up to Honour We are not so fast to golden Fetters curst But Love one Link of the long Chain may burst Oh Briomar I have that last Account yet to make up To that Fair Tyrants Ear before I dye That as thou valuest my Eternall Peace By all thy Loyalty I must conjure thee Under the shelter of this kind Disguise To gain me an Access But one blest Minute At Clarismunda's Feet Briom But in this kind Disguise can you so rule Your master'd Passion as to keep your shrow'd No frantick start to burst your guardian Cloud Sir dare you promise me Oront Yes I dare promise Shall I performe my Briomar Briom How Sir Oront No more I 'le be obey'd Briom Then Sir my Duty shall dispute no more Th' Access shall be obtain'd Though I much fear Effects too dismall Oront Leave Effects to Fate Love spurs the Leap and Danger Checks too late Exeunt Scene a Room of State Enter Celestina Rosalin and Women Ros Madam five hundred Talents from the King Cel. Have Kist my Hand this Morning Ros From Great Love A fair presented Sum. Cel. To buy me pins A small Oblation But my Royall Vassall Remembers his Allegiance knows his Duty And pays my Eyes their Tribute Now my Rosalin How dost thou like the Port our Greatness bears Say is a Monarchs Heare a Toy worth wearing Rosal Your Conquest is a perfect Raign of Wonders Cel. Nay I have conquer'd now And such a Conquest That surfeited Delight and gorged Ambition Have drunk so deep that they can thirst no more Ros Madam the Princess Cel. Ha! What brings her here perhaps The Consciencious Fool comes to Preach Honour Herminia's Wrongs and Celestina's Fraylty If so I am resolv'd I will receive her Like my great self the Mistress of a Pow'r The World 's too weak to shake Enter Clarismunda Claris. I stoop beneath My self when I descend To talk with Sin and Shame But sweet Herminia A Champion in Thy Cause commanding Justice Forgive the Faults offending Honour makes No the proud Theif the Syren has undon thee Shall not move off with Her Rich prize so tamely I 'le talk with the gay Sin and glittring Infamy Cel These happy Walls and their more happy Mistress Thus honour'd and thus grace'd Beleive me Madam You 've so surprized me with this wondrous Goodness Took me so unprepared for a Reception Worthy of such a Guest Claris. Hold there 's no need Of so much courtly Ceremony All I came to meet I 've found thy self and wish The Visitant I bring thee may receive But half this promis'd welcome Cel. If I am All You came to seek I am proud that you have found me And prouder to receive whate're Commands Honour can give or Honour can obey As such no doubt you bring me speak Your pleasure Clar. Honour Oh thou hast named the richest Jem That e're adorn'd the Fair True Honour Beauties Inestimable wealth whilst we wear Thee We have inexhausted Mines of endless Treasure Enough t' enrich the world Where Honour Shines Our Eyes are Sparks of Heaven 'T is that kind Sun That lights 'em into Stars The Great just Powers Made us the fairest work of their Creation Till our own faults our own defacing Shame Unmakes the work of Gods Celest Ay now you charm my Ear with ravishing Musick Honour our Sexes warmest Pride Our whole Devotion Saint Heaven All we kneel and pray to And Madam if those Powers you name have made Beauty the Master-stroak of their Creation I thank their Generous Moulding Hands These Eyes Are not their poorest stamp And to do Justice To Heavens unfinisht Peice I shall take care In the bright sphear to which my charms have rais'd me Not to unmake but mend the work of Gods Claris The Sphear thy Charms have rais'd thee to No thou Gay gilded Vanity call 'em thy Sorceryes The ' infatuating false deluding Fires Of Sin plumed up with Power thou vile Usurper Celest Usurper That diminitive Imp of Majesty That puny poor Prerogative no Madam Your kinder Justice sure can find my Glories A fairer name Claris. A fairer name Celest perhaps The little Murmures Envy and Ignorance Have been too buisy with your Royall Ear And breath'd my Name with their unhallow'd Lips But to correct th' ill manner'd Grin of Fools Let the Kings Heart and these victorious Eyes Tell the vain babling world I raign by Conquest Claris. What do I hear Oh thou amazing Front Of blushless Guilt Thou sit'st enthron'd in Sin then Hold'st thy black seate of shame by Claim and Title And stampst a Royall Soverainty on Damnation Cel. Madam this Language But no more You are too blame mistaken angry Princess For when I shall enform that Peevish Snarler For whom thou playst the Champion what good Offices I 've done her with the King She 'le have but small Occasion of Complaint For I must tell you As my peculiar Grace I have given him Leave T' allow her a fair Court Guards and Attendants And all the Decency that suits her Quality Nay and to shew you I 'm more generous still I have permitted him to pay her the Civilityes of a Wife Claris. Civilityes Celest And let me tell you 'T is not A Common Condescension in a Mrs. To give a Wife that Liberty Claris. Great Gods This is beyond all mortall Patience She gives her Husband Leave 't is she allows her Her Favours all Oh poor Herminia whither art thou fall'n aside Brought thy rich Royall Veins from thy fair India To be a Pensioner to a vile Wanton Raign the Precarious Partner of a Throne But thou rank Weed thou poysonous plant of Death Oh that thou'dst give thy Soul but so much Leisure As even to think Cel. Think I have Thought For Thinking's half
poor Herminia Herm. Oh my Stars I see a dawning pity in his Eyes Break forth my rising Sun and make it all Immortall Day and ever shining Joys Take Take your kneeling Mourner to your Arms Take me to love be kind and bid me live And stab my bleeding breaking Heart no more King Thou talk'st sweet Murmurer Tygr. Oh Sir embrace the blessed Minute Return to her dear Arms return to all The Joys of Earth and the Rewards of Heav'n Think but what shining Host of Supliant Saints Expand their Arms t' embrace thy blest Repentance King My dear Tygranes My Fame my Crown and my Imperiall Cause Call thee to Arms to Arms My muster'd Legions And marching Armies wait thee in their head Go forth my Son of War the great To morrow Leads to the Field Tygra Doubt not that great To morrow Be you but Just to day Run to her Bosom Oh run and take her to your pitying Mercy Myriads of Joys and thousand thousand Blisses King Battles and Arms Hark the Shrill Trump Tygranes The Alarm of Honour calls Tygra The Trump of Virtue King 'T is that that sounds to call thy wandring Heart To these abandon'd Arms. King The Scythian Tyrant And Clarismunda's Wrongs Tygr. The Scythian Sorceress Exit King forcing himself from them And lost Herminia's Wounds Queen Too cruell King Sure I am not the first unhappy Woman That wept for Broken Vows and faithless Man Yet sure the first that ever wept so soon So Young so early lost i th' very Morn Of Love for ever sett Put generous Prince So much I owe thee for this wondrous Goodness What kind Return can this vast Debt defray What I am too Poor I must beg Heav'n to pay Exit Tygr. Such charms and this unkind Return Ah King Had those dear Eyes but smiled on blest Tygranes How had I lov'd Oh Beauty in thy whole Divinity How narrow is thy Attribute of Mercy Thy Soveraign power of Life and Death so shackled That in a thousand Bleeding hearts before thee Thy kind repreiving smile can save but one Nay and that very single Mercy too Is often dealt with that unlucky Hand Made some ungratefull tastless Infidells prize Whilst perishing Truth stands by and starving dyes Exit Finis Actus Terâ—ij ACT. IV. SCENE I. Celestina and Rosalin Cel. TH' Embraces of a King Poor Satisfaction A Monarchs Darling but a Kingdoms Loathing All a dishonourd Blot the Worlds cheap Theme And common Tale of every grinning slave The Queen Ay she ev'n in her lowest sufferings Outshines my tallest Pride The peoples Love And th' universall pity of mankind Like perfum'd Sweets embalm her fragrant Fame But me their Hate and Scorn my very Sex Stand at a Bay all frighted at my Name And drive me like a hunted Fugitive From out the Herd of Life I cannot bear it Ros Dear Madam Cel. Oh thou lying Oracle where 's My promist Mountains all your Boasted Miracles No Flattring falshood tell thy Lord of Darkness There is no Faith in Hell Did'st thou not Promise False Prophetess that I should raign in Pleasure Ros If Soveraignty Dominion if to hold A King in Chains and Crowns in Vassalage be To raign in Pleasure she has perform'd that Promise Cel. A King my Slave poor narrow-bounded Throne Thin empty Bliss for in Possessing His I have lost the Hearts of all the World beside Nay what has all my mighty Conquest made me That little despicable Wretch a Harlot Oh the foul Blister Cankers and Diseases Is there that humblest of my cringing Flatterers That waits th' uprising of my morning Smile And pays me his All Hayl for the snatch'd blessing Even with those Lips that kiss the Earth I move on No sooner is his fawning Face turn'd from me But with a low reviling Eye puts forth His forked Tongue and hisses at my Shame Ros Why all this foolish Murmur Thus concern'd For that Course Vulgar Blast the Popular Breath Does your exalted Greatness want Their Love It is enough they fear you Fear the noblest Prerogative 't was Fear that first made Gods Cel. No Girle this Shallow Sophistry Ros Nay Madam Your Witches and your Propheycing Devils I 'm sure have done their Part. And if you have still A giddy roving uncontented Thought E'ne blame your own unsatisfyed desires If Womans vain Ambition covets more Then all Hell has to give 't is not Hells Fault but Womans Cel. But oh my Rosalin I cannot bear This publick Odium of the World and live Only the Mistress of his loose Desires His burning Kisses all but Sooty Fires That little Outly of his Love his Mistress Ros His Mistress Why wou'd you be his Queen Cel. His Queen Ay that 's A name indeed that Sacred Post of Honour Myriads of pleasures wait the hallow'd Brightness A Solid Heaven of Constellated Blisses Substantiall Power untainted Glory Then I should have Hearts as well as Knees to serve me Ros His Queen Why truly Madam since your Wishes Must soar so high I know no wondrous Stops That hold their Flight considering your Ascendant The Eyes you wear and the fond Heart you govern Cel. Ha Ros Were the Gordian Bar remov'd between you The golden Fruit would meet your reaching Hand And fairly bid you carve your own Desires Cel. The Gordian Bar remov'd and fairly carve My own Desires What Bar but poor Herminia That feeble Thred Thou dear inspiring Devil Oh what a mountain Thought of vast Ambition Comes pouring ore me like a rolling Deluge Ros Madam Young Mirvan the Queens favourite Evnuch Waits for Access as your petitioner Cel. Mirvan Admit him Enter Mirvan Mir. Madam amongst the universall Knees All bending to salute the rising Sun Might poor I dare t'implore one smiling Beam Cel. Push thy fair suit and try thy generous Fortune Mirv. Then Madam I 've a Brother and a Brother Not born like me to curse his riffled Cradle A Brother that writes Man and would write Man In Characters of Blood A Youth that dares As much as Courage can or Honour ought And tho' his praise suits not my Mouth to give Fair Truth her due he wears a Sword he thinks Too brave to rust a Boy that wou'd lead Men And therefore begs by me your gracious Interest For a Commission for him Cel. If thy Brother Sweet Boy but fights with half the Grace thou suest He might lead Armys Well kind Advocate He shall have a Commission and a Noble one Mirv. Thus low my Kneeling Gratitude Cel. Rise Mirvin This Boy well manag'd aside Rise my pretty Suppliant Thou look'st and talk'st so winningly there 's nothing I can deny to that petitioning Face Mirv. My Face 'T is well I have a Face to beg a Ladys favour aside Cel. Well gentle Boy such early Wit as Thine Tells me thou know'st the World How dost thou like The pleasures of a Court Mirv. How shou'd I like What I want pow'r to taste Cel. Nay fye my Boy Thou wrongst my Innocent meaning Mirv. Then